I Asked Two Italian Moms Their Secret To The Best Lasagna

One thing you should know about me is that I’ve cooked through a lot of lasagna recipes over the years, particularly in the past four years. During 2020, when everyone was baking sourdough and banana bread, I was deep in a rabbit hole of making the best possible lasagna for my family. I cooked simple lasagnas, classic lasagna bolognese, white lasagna, and even lasagna with cottage cheese.

When I recently embarked on developing a more traditional lasagna, I talked with a few lasagna experts. First up was my friend Maria, who grew up just outside Venice, Italy, and has strong, prideful feelings on cooking traditional Italian food. I knew she’d have a lot to say about lasagna, including advice from her mother, who is a private chef. The most important thing Maria had to say is that “ricotta is a hard no! Lasagna must be made with béchamel sauce — and you should season it with a pinch of nutmeg.” When asked about meat sauce versus bolognese, Maria was adamant about bolognese sauce. Even though it’s a lot of work, she says it makes a more flavorful lasagna. Lastly, she emphasized that a good lasagna starts with high-quality ingredients. This point sounds so simple, but having tested this recipe using a variety of brands, I whole-heartedly agree.

I also spoke with Jeanette Donnarumma (a recipe developer and culinary producer formerly of the Rachael Ray Show), whose take on lasagna I was especially excited about. Jeanette explained that she’s an Italian American who grew up in a ricotta lasagna home, but now swears by lasagna made with a Parmesan-heavy béchamel. She went on to say that béchamel is the best option for a great lasagna because ricotta “just isn’t moist enough for a juicy lasagna and nobody likes a dry lasagna.”

This is my spin on a traditional Italian lasagna (lasagna bolognese, if you will). It has all the components you’d expect, but I’ve taken a few liberties to minimize both prep and cook time. It’s creamy, saucy, and feels incredibly special without tasting overly rich or heavy, and it’s the farthest thing from being dry. Making lasagna is a labor of love since it takes a fair amount of time, but the good news is that nothing about this recipe is tricky or complicated, and it uses readily available, easy-to-find ingredients.

Why You’ll Love It

• It uses béchamel instead of ricotta. Above all else, this creamy sauce makes the lasagna taste totally luxurious without feeling heavy. It also keeps the filling moist so it doesn’t dry out or get that crumbly texture that sometimes happens with ricotta.

• Many of the components are make-ahead. There are a couple of opportunities to get a head start with this recipe. My favorite is making the bolognese and béchamel sauces a day in advance, and then the next day, assembling and baking the lasagna. You can also fully assemble the lasagna a day before baking.

Key Ingredients in Lasagna

• Diced pancetta: The rendered fat is used to cook the ground meat and vegetables, and it adds more flavor and the tiniest hint of richness to the bolognese.

• Ground meat: Go for lean ground beef so there’s no need to drain off excess grease.

• Crushed tomatoes: Many recipes use canned whole peeled tomatoes that need to be crushed with your hands. This option is more convenient and less messy.

• Tomato paste: A few tablespoons deepen the tomato flavor in the bolognese.

• Milk: I love whole milk, which makes a slightly richer béchamel sauce, though 2% milk works well and does also make a good sauce.

• Dried lasagna noodles: Maria emphasized the importance of using high-quality pasta, and after testing this recipe with several different brands, I 100% agree. I can’t stress this enough: Good-quality dried pasta makes all the difference here (my favorite brands are De Cecco and Rummo).

• Parmesan cheese: You can grate your own or use grated store-bought Parm — both work well.

How to Make Lasagna

1. Make the bolognese. Cook the bolognese and let it simmer until slightly thickened and the flavors meld. Meanwhile, soak the noodles and make the béchamel.

2. Soak the noodles. Arrange dried lasagna noodles in a 9×13 baking dish and cover with very hot tap water. It’s helpful to move the noodles around occasionally and separate any stacked noodles so they don’t stick together. When ready, drain the noodles and dry the baking dish.

3. Make the béchamel. Simmer the béchamel just until thickened.

4. Assemble the lasagna. Spread a thin layer of bolognese in the bottom of the baking dish. Layer with lasagna noodles, bolognese sauce, béchamel sauce, and grated Parmesan. Repeat for a second layer, then top with the remaining noodles, bolognese, béchamel, and Parmesan.

5. Bake the lasagna and cool. Bake uncovered until the cheese is melty and the sauce is bubbly. Pop under the broiler for just a couple minutes if you want the cheese browned in spots (keep a close eye on it). Cool at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Helpful Swaps

• No-boil noodles (which Maria, Jeanette, and our cross-tester, Christine, happen to like) work quite well as an alternative to regular dried lasagna noodles, and do a nice job of mimicking the texture of more thin, fresh lasagna noodles. If using no-boil noodles, you’ll need just enough for the three layers of pasta (a 9-ounce box of Barilla noodles was sufficient for me), and there’s no need to soak them before assembling.

• Canned diced tomatoes (and the juices) or whole peeled tomatoes can be used as a substitute for crushed tomatoes. Be sure to crush the whole tomatoes with your hands or use an immersion blender or regular blender to break them down first.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

• The bolognese sauce and béchamel can be made up to two days ahead. Refrigerate in separate airtight containers, placing a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper directly against the surface of the béchamel to prevent a skin from forming before sealing the container. Gently reheat each sauce until warmed through before assembling the lasagna.

• The lasagna can be assembled up to 1 day ahead before baking. Let cool completely, cover, and refrigerate. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking uncovered.

• Good news: Leftover lasagna freezes well, both unbaked and baked, and keeps for up to three months.

• There are several ways to reheat lasagna. Reheating in a 325°F oven is your best bet, though the microwave can also get the job done.

What to Serve With Lasagna

• Caesar Salad

• Roasted Parmesan Asparagus

• Garlic Bread

• Cheese-Stuffed Bread Sticks

• 10-Minute Garlic Broccolini

Lasagna Recipe

It’s all about the béchamel.

Prep time 30 minutes to 35 minutes

Cook time 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes

Serves 8

Ingredients

For the bolognese sauce:

• 4 ounces diced pancetta (about 1 cup)

• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

• 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely diced (about 1/2 cup)

• 1 medium stalk celery, finely diced (about 1/3 cup)

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• Olive oil, as needed

• 1 pound lean ground beef

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

For the béchamel sauce and assembly:

• 2 cups whole or 2% milk, at room temperature

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 15 dried lasagna noodles (not no-boil; most of a 1-pound box)

• 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/3 cups freshly grated or 1 cup store-bought grated), divided

Instructions

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Make the bolognese sauce:

1. Cook 4 ounces diced pancetta in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the pancetta is lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in 1 finely diced medium yellow onion, 1 peeled and finely diced medium carrot, 1 finely diced medium celery stalk, and 3 minced garlic cloves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. If the pan begins to dry out add up to 1 tablespoon olive oil.

2. Add 1 pound lean ground beef, and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, breaking up the beef into smaller pieces, until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes.

3. Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until darkened in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup dry white wine and cook until almost evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes and 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce, and bring to a simmer.

4. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened and the flavors meld, about 30 minutes. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. While the sauce is simmering, soak the lasagna noodles and make the béchamel sauce.

Soak the noodles and make the béchamel sauce:

1. Heat the oven to 350℉. Arrange 15 dried lasagna noodles in an even layer in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add enough very hot tap water to completely cover the noodles and let soak for 20 minutes, moving the noodles around occasionally and separating any stacked noodles.

2. Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the paste is bubbling and begins to dry out slightly, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in 2 cups room temperature whole milk until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

3. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Assemble and bake the lasagna:

1. Drain the lasagna noodles. Wipe the baking dish dry.

2. Evenly spread 1/2 cup of the bolognese sauce in the baking dish. Arrange 5 of the lasagna noodles in an even layer on top of the sauce, breaking them as needed to fit (it’s OK if the noodles overlap slightly).

3. Dollop and spread about 2 1/2 cups of the bolognese sauce over the noodles. Dollop and spread 3/4 cup of the béchamel sauce over the bolognese (the sauces will blend together a little bit, but should still be 2 distinct layers). Evenly sprinkle with 1/4 of the grated Parmesan cheese (1/3 cup freshly grated or 1/4 cup store-bought grated).

4. Repeat layering lasagna noodles, bolognese sauce, béchamel sauce, and Parmesan. Top with the remaining 5 lasagna noodles. Stir the remaining bolognese and béchamel together, then spread evenly onto the noodles to completely cover. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan (2/3 cup freshly grated or 1/2 cup store-bought grated).

5. Bake uncovered until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Switch the oven to broil and broil until the cheese is lightly browned in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead

• The bolognese sauce and béchamel can be made up to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate in separate airtight containers, placing a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper directly onto the surface of the béchamel to prevent a skin from forming before sealing the container. Gently reheat each sauce until warmed through before assembling the lasagna.

• The lasagna can be assembled up to 1 day ahead before baking. Let cool completely, cover, and refrigerate. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking uncovered.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Further Reading

Why People Are Ditching Their Seltzer After a Disturbing Study

The One Cookware Brand That Gordon Ramsay Can’t Stop Talking About

Reese’s Just Launched a Limited-Edition Peanut Butter Cup, and It Tastes 4x Better than the Original